The Content of Contentment - Challenge Part 3

Apparently once I get in Challenge mode, I can't stop finding more and more things that need to be examined in my life.

I have a struggle with being content in my life.
And I guess there is a way to be discontent with life on a spiritual level where you feel like you're not feeling strong in your relationship with Christ and it drives you to go deeper. But that's not what I mean. Nor do I mean that I'm not comfortable in my life. I like being in my comfort zone and not breaking routine. This fact makes it even more ridiculous that I'm not content with all that I have.

This manifests itself in buying things that I don't really need. "Oh surely this is more awesome then the other item I already have at home that is 99% similar and certainly once I own 2 of the same thing I will not resort to not using either of them because I can decided which I'd rather use." Yeah, never fails that once I have two similar items, I don't end up using either or any of them. So that's wasteful excess in a consumerism world.

Also, I struggle with food. I can't remember the last time I really felt hungry. I've discovered I eat more for taste than for satisfying hunger. And I usually don't indulge in the healthy stuff my body can use. It's the junk food or 3rd helping of pasta. I eat until my tastebuds are content and that's not a good mode. It's like I have this fear that I'll never experience this amazing taste ever again so I can't be content with a moderate portion.

And an expansion on the fear of losing out, I'm a hoarder. I can't bear to part with things because it feels like when I finally cave and get rid of an item I shortly there after could have used it for something.

So I guess contentment is made up of: not settling for the mundane spiritually, being thankful for the blessings we have, not buying into the lie that things satisfy, not indulging, and not letting fear control our actions.

I'm challenging myself to be content in: what I already have, with not wanting what I don't have (that isn't good for me), and in the moderate instead of the excessive.